Strand control apparatus



July 30, 1963 A. c. NYSTROM 3,099,412

STRAND CONTROL APPARATUS Filed April 2, 1962 FROM MfiCH/NE V TTUQNE'LZ/United States Patent 3,099,412 STRAND CONTROL APPARATUS Axel C. Nystrom,Rutherford, N.J., assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated,New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Apr. 2, 1962, Ser. No.184,143 5 Claims. (Cl. 242-47.01)

This invention relates to strand control apparatus particularlyapparatus adapted to control the tension of strands fed betweenprocessing machines and as they are fed to take-upunits.

In the manufacture of various types of strands including insulatedwires, there is always the problem of creating predetermined tensions inthe strands and to eliminate damage to the strands during stopping ofthe take-up unit.

An object of the present invention is an apparatus which, althoughsimple in structure, is highly etficient in providing the solutions tothese problems when interposed between a strand processing machine and atake-up for the strand.

In accordance with the object the strand control apparatus is interposedbetween a machine to supply a strand and a take-up for the strand, theapparatus including a first shive, adapted to receive turns of thestrand from the machine, a second shive adapted to receive turns of thestrand prior to moving to the take-up, and a control unit interposedbetween the first and second shives to control the strand extendingbetween the machine and the take-up.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdetailed description when considered in conjunction With theaccompanying drawing wherein the single FIGURE is a top plan view of theapparatus portions thereof being shown in section.

The machine for processing a strand is not shown as the apparatus may beemployed in association with various types of strand processingmachines, such as machines for manufacturing threads, filaments, barewires, insulated wires or the like. In the present instance, theapparatus was designed for use in a machine forming pulp insulation onwires. Machines of this type may operate continuously to insulatenumerous wires simultaneously and, although the machine may operatecontinuously through the addition of supply reels tor the various wiresthe take-up reels for the different wires must be stopped at differentintervals as the take-up reels become filled and must be replaced byempty reels. If the reels at the take-up are changed automatically thereis the problem of wire breaking in advance of the take-up.

The apparatus includes a stationary shaft .1 1 supported at its ends bymembers 12 and having a free running first shive '14 mounted thereon toreceive one or more turns of the strand 10 from the machine. A secondshive 15 is of the free running type, both shives being supported bybearings on the shaft, the shive 15 being of the contour shown andadapted to receive one or more turns of the strand 10 before movingtoward the take-up. A control unit, indicated generally at 17, isinterposed between the first and second shives and includes a gearingmechanism having a spider l8 fixed at 19 to the stationary shaft 11. Thespider \18 has aligned stationary spindles 20 for rotatably supportingbevelled gears 21 of the 17. A stationary annular member 22 is mountedon the spindles 2% and supports bearing members 23 for supporting acentral shive 24 having a V-groove 25 therein.

Bevelled gears 26 and 27 are free to rotate on the fixed shaft 11 andare fixed to members 28 and 29 supported by bearings 30 and 31 on thefixed shaft. A first rotatable guide 33 is mounted on a projection 34 ofthe member 28 and a second rotatable guide 35 is mounted "ice 2 on theprojection 36 of the member 29. The member 29 has a recess 37 therein ofa size sufficient to receive a clock spring 38 having its inner endfixed at 39 to the stationary shaft 111 and the outer end fixed at 40 tothe member 29.

Operation During normal threading of the strand 10 through theapparatus, a given number of turns are placed about the first shive 14then a half turn or turn of approximately is placed in the manner shownabout the first rotatable guide 36 after which a predetermined number ofturns are placed about the central shive 24, in the V! groove 25thereof, followed by a half turn or a turn of 180 about the secondrotatable guide 65 in the manner shown followed by a given number ofturns about the second shive 1 5, after which the strand is extended tothe take-up and secured thereto. The apparatus is adapted to create apredetermined tension in the strand in the area between the processingmachine for the strand and the take-up. This tensioning means isembodied in the clock spring 38 and for this reason, the clock springmay be of any desired size including a predetermined width and thicknessto bring about the force required to be embodied therein and apredetermined overall length so that a desired number of convolutionsmay be embodied in the spring to bring about the various resultsdesired. Actually, the spring is not nearly as thick as shown and hasmany more spiral turns to impart numerous cycles to the member 29 ifrequired.

During normal conditions, the number of turns shown are placed about thevarious shives 14, 24 and 15 and prior to completing the threading ofthe strand to the take-up, including the placing of the strand about thesecond rotatable guide 85, the member 29 is rotated at predeterminednumber of turns to create a desired force in the clock spring 38 toestablish the predetermined tension in the strand after it has beenthreaded to the takeup. The machine, with the apparatus, and the take-upmay at this time be operated, the operation of the apparatus beingresponsive to the operations of the machine and take-up, allowing thestrand to move in its path about the first shive :14, the firstrotatable guide 33, thecentral shive 24, the second rotatable guide 35and the second shive 15-. At this point, with the force previously setin the spring 38, it will be apparent that an unexpected increase intension in the strand between the machine and the take-up will applyforces to the rotatable guides 33 and '35 to oppose the predeterminedforce in the spring against the members 28 and 29 through theirrespective gears 26 and 27 and the intermediate gears 21 of the controlunit 17 to cause the guides to rotate in directions tending to unwindoonvolutions of the strand from both the first and second shives 14 and15 and their central shives 24. This, in eitect, decreases theconvolutions and thus the length of the strand in the apparatus, thatis, on the free running shives 14, 24 and 15 to thereby decrease thetension on the strand. In a similar manner, a decrease in thepredetermined tension in the strand such as the forming of a slackposition in the strand between the machine and the take-up willimmediately condition the spring 38 to force rotation of the member 29about the axis of the shaft III to apply additional or addedconvolutions of the strands to both the second shive 15 and the centralshive 24. This action of the control unit, that is, the rotation of thebevelled gear 27 with the member 29, causes rotation of the bevelledgears 21 to rotate a bevelled gear 26 together with the member 28 in adirection so that the first rotatable guide 33 will wind added whole orpartial convolutions or" the strand to both the first shive 14 and thecentral shive 24.

Another function of the apparatus is to act as an accumulator for thestrands. For example, during an interval when it is desirable to stopthe take-up without stopping the machine. When this condition occurs,with the leading end of the strand near the area of take-up being heldfixed by any suitable means, the machine may continue operating toprocess and supply the strand during which time the numerousconvolutions of the spring 38 will cause driving of the member 129 in adirection to cause the rotatable guide 35 to wind portions of the strandon the free running shives 1'5 and 24. Through the action of the gearsin the control unit 17 the member 28 will rotate so that the firstrotatable guide 36 will wind turns of the strand on the free runningshive 14 and the central shive 24. This condition may continue until theproblem created at the take-up has been solved such as the connection ofa break in the wire or the removal of a full reel and the mounting of anempty reel. At this time, the take-up reel may be rotated for a giveninterval faster than the desired normal speed to remove the excess turnsof the strand accumulated on the shives 14- and 115 and 24 and until theapparatus is back to the normal position illustrated in the drawing. Itis to be understood that during the accumulating period thepredetermined tension in the strand will be maintained as close aspossible, it being important to allow the machine to continue operatingand providing storing areas on the shives for this particular strandwithout disturbing the numerous other strands being processed in themachines. Once excess convolutions of strands have been removed item theapparatus, the spring 38 has been returned automatically to its normalsetting and the apparatus may continue to control the travel of thestrand between the machine and the takenp of a known predeterminedtension.

It is to be understood that the above described arrangements are simplyillustrative of the application of the principles of the invention.Numerous other arrangements may be readily devised by those skilled inthe art which will embody the principles of the invention and fallwithin the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A strand control apparatus interposed between a machine to supply astrand and a takeup for the strand comprising:

a rotatable first shive positioned to receive lengths of the strand inturns thereon after the strand leaves the machine,

a rotatable second shive positioned to receive lengths of the strand inturns thereon prior to reaching the takeup,

a control unit interposed between the shives and operable to maintain apredetermined tension in the strand by varying the lengths of the strandthe turns on the shives when the. tension in the strand varies tron-ithe predetermined tension,

a fixed shaft rotatably supporting the shives,

the control unit including spaced rotatable strand guides disposedadjacent the shives,

supports for the guides rotatable on the shaft,

an intermediate member intenposedbetween the supports and adapted toreceive a variable length of the strand in turns thereon, the length ofwhich is controlled by the guides, and

means operatively connecting the supports so that rotation of one of thesupports to cause its guide to vary the length of the strand on saidfirst shive will cause rotation of the other support to cause its guideto cause like variation in the length of strand on said second shive.

2. A strand contnol apparatus according to claim 1 in which:

a gearing mechanism is interposed between the supports and having aspider, rotatably supporting first diametrically opposed gears, fixed tothe shaft and positioned between second gears concentric with the shaftand fixed respectively to the guide supports so that rotation of one ofthe supports to cause its guide to vary the length of the strand on saidfirst shive will operate the gearing mechanism to cause rotation of theother support to cause its guide to make like variations in the lengthof strand on said second shive.

3. A strand control apparatus according to claim 1 in which:

a gearing mechanism is interposed between the supports and having aspider, rotatably supporting first diametrically opposed gears, fixed tothe shaft and positioned between second gears concentric with the shaftand fixed respectively to the guide supports so that rotation of one ofrthe supports to cause its guide to vary the length of the strand onsaid first shive will operate the gearing mechanism to cause rotation ofthe other support to cause its guide to make like variations in thelength of strand on said second shive, and

means fixedly mounted on the spider of the gearing mechanism torotatably support the intermediate member.

4. A strand control apparatus according to claim 1 in which:

a gearing mechanism is interposed between the supports and having aspider, rotatably supporting first diametrically opposed gears, fixed tothe shaft and positioned between second gears concentric with the shaftand fixed respectively to the guide supports so that rotation of one ofthe supports to cause its guide to vary the length of the strand on saidfirst shive will operate the gearing mechanism to cause rotation of theother support to cause its guide to make like variations in the lengthof strand on said second shive, and

said intermediate member comprising a shive rotatably supported by thespider and having a V-shaped periphery to receive -a variable length ofthe strand in turns thereon, [the length of which is controlled by theguides.

5. A strand control apparatus interposed between a machine tocontinuously supply a strand and a takeup for the strand comprising:

a shaft,

a pair of spaced outer shives rotatably mounted on the shaft forreceiving convolutions of strand,

an intermediate shive rotatably mounted about said shaft and positionedbetween said outer shives for receiving convolutions of strand,

a pair of guides rotatably mounted about said shafts between said outershives and said intermediate shive for guiding strand from one outershive to the intermediate shive and from the intermediate shive to theother outer shive,

means responsive to variations in tension in the strand for rotating afirst of said guides about said shaft relative to the intermediate shiveto simultaneously remove or lay convolutions of strand on saidintermediate shive and the adjacent router shive until said tension isrestored 9110 the initial value,

and a gearing mechanism for imparting the rotation of the first guide tothe second guide to rotate said second guide in an opposite direction tosimultaneously remove or lay convolutions of strand on said intermediateshive and the adjacent outer shive.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,755,916 McIlvried et al July 24, 1956

1. A STRAND CONTROL APPARATUS INTERPOSED BETWEEN A MACHINE TO SUPPLY ASTRAND AND A TAKEUP FOR THE STRAND COMPRISING: A ROTATABLE FIRST SHIVEPOSITIONED TO RECEIVE LENGTHS OF THE STRAND IN TURNS THEREON AFTER THESTRAND LEAVES THE MACHINE, A ROTATABLE SECOND SHIVE POSITIONED TORECEIVE LENGTHS OF THE STRAND IN TURNS THEREON PRIOR TO REACHING THETAKEUP, A CONTROL UNIT INTERPOSED BETWEEN THE SHIVES AND OPERABLE TOMAINTAIN A PREDETERMINED TENSION IN THE STRAND BY VARYING THE LENGTHS OFTHE STRAND IN THE TURNS ON THE SHIVES WHEN THE TENSION IN THE STRANDVARIES FROM THE PREDETERMINED TENSION, A FIXED SHAFT ROTATABLYSUPPORTING THE SHIVES, THE CONTROL UNIT INCLUDING SPACED ROTATABLESTRAND GUIDES DISPOSED ADJACENT THE SHIVES, SUPPORTS FOR THE GUIDESROTATABLE ON THE SHAFT, AN INTERMEDIATE MEMBER INTERPOSED BETWEEN THESUPPORTS AND ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A VARIABLE LANGTH OF THE STRAND IN TURNSTHEREON, THE LENGTH OF WHICH IS CONTROLLED BY THE GUIDES, AND MEANSOPERATIVELY CONNECTING THE SUPPORTS SO THAT ROTATION OF ONE OF THESUPPORTS TO CAUSE ITS GUIDE TO VARY THE LENGTH OF THE STRAND ON SAIDFIRST SHIVE WILL CAUSE ROTATION OF THE OTHER SUPPORT TO CAUSE ITS GUIDETO CAUSE LIKE VARIATION IN THE LENGTH OF STRAND ON SAID SECOND SHIVE.